U.S. patent application number 12/021934 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-21 for resin impregnating apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.. Invention is credited to Hiroki Takashima, Motohiro Tanigawa, Tadashi Uozumi.
Application Number | 20080196660 12/021934 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39467178 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080196660 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Uozumi; Tadashi ; et
al. |
August 21, 2008 |
Resin Impregnating Apparatus
Abstract
The present invention provides a resin impregnating apparatus
which enables a fiber feeding speed to be increased without
increasing the size, complicatedness, or costs of the apparatus. A
resin impregnating apparatus 1 impregnating fibers F with resin
includes a block member 2 including a tapered passage 21 through
which the fibers F pass and which is tapered toward a direction in
which the fibers F pass, and a resin supply device 3 supplying the
resin to the fibers F in the vicinity of an inlet of the tapered
passage 21. As the fibers F pass through the tapered passage 21
carrying the supplied resin, the resin is pressurized by a wedge
effect of the tapered passage 21 so that the fibers F are
impregnated with the resin.
Inventors: |
Uozumi; Tadashi; (Kyoto-shi,
JP) ; Takashima; Hiroki; (Kyoto-shi, JP) ;
Tanigawa; Motohiro; (Kyoto-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOGAN & HARTSON L.L.P.
1999 AVENUE OF THE STARS, SUITE 1400
LOS ANGELES
CA
90067
US
|
Assignee: |
MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
Kyoto-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
39467178 |
Appl. No.: |
12/021934 |
Filed: |
January 29, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
118/234 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29B 15/122
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
118/234 |
International
Class: |
B05C 1/04 20060101
B05C001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 15, 2007 |
JP |
2007-034221 |
Claims
1. A resin impregnating apparatus impregnating fibers with resin in
filament winding formation, the apparatus being characterized by
comprising: a block member comprising a tapered passage through
which said fibers pass and which is tapered toward a direction in
which said fibers pass, and a resin supply device supplying said
resin to said fibers in the vicinity of an inlet of said tapered
passage, and in that: as said fibers pass through the tapered
passage carrying the resin supplied by said resin supply device,
the resin is pressurized by a wedge effect of the tapered passage
so that the fibers are impregnated with the resin.
2. A resin impregnating apparatus according to claim 1,
characterized in that said block member has an opening in at least
a part of a periphery thereof, the opening being in communication
with said tapered passage and extending from the inlet to an outlet
of said tapered passage.
3. A resin impregnating apparatus according to claim 2,
characterized in that said opening is open upward.
4. A resin impregnating apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3,
characterized in that said block member further comprises a
lockable closing member lockably closing said opening so as to be
able to freely open and close the opening.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a resin impregnating
apparatus that impregnates fibers with resin in filament winding
formation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Conventional resin impregnating apparatuses for filament
winding formation (hereinafter referred to as FW formation) are
configured as shown in FIG. 7. That is, a conventional resin
impregnating apparatus 1' is mainly composed of a resin vessel PB
in which a resin P is stored, a rotating roller R the lower portion
of which is immersed in the resin P, and a knife edge N that
adjusts the amount of the resin P adhering to a surface of the
rotating roller R. The rotating roller R is rotated at a speed
corresponding to a speed at which fibers F are fed, to impregnate
the fibers F fed in contact with the upper portion of the rotating
roller R, with the resin P adhering to the surface of the rotating
roller R.
[0003] For the FW formation, a possible approach to improving
productivity is to increase the fiber feeding speed. However, with
the conventional resin impregnating apparatus, an increase in the
fiber feeding speed prevents a sufficient amount of resin from
adhering to the surface of the rotating roller. This in turn
precludes the fibers from being sufficiently impregnated with the
resin. The increase in fiber feeding speed thus has a
limitation.
[0004] Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, instead of the rotating roller R,
a rotating belt RB extending in a fiber F feeding direction may be
provided to keep the fibers F in contact with the rotating belt RB
over a longer distance. This allows an increase in fiber feeding
speed while appropriately maintaining the amount of resin
infiltrating the fibers.
[0005] A method has also been proposed in which fibers are passed
through a tightly closed space so that the fibers passing through
the space are supplied with resin under a high pressure by a resin
supply device such as a pump, thus forcibly impregnating the fibers
with the resin (for example, Published Japanese translation of PCT
international publication for patent application (Toku-hyo) No.
2002-533241).
[0006] However, with the method of using the rotating belt to
maintain the appropriate resin impregnation amount, for example, to
double the feeding speed, the contact length over which the fibers
remain in contact with the rotating belt needs to be about doubled.
This disadvantageously increases the size of the resin impregnating
apparatus.
[0007] Moreover, with the method of impregnating the fibers with
the resin under the high pressure, the tightly closed space needs
to be provided in order to exert the high pressure. The method also
requires the resin supply device exerting the high pressure. Thus,
disadvantageously, the resultant resin impregnating apparatus is
complicated and requires high costs.
[0008] The present invention is composed in view of these
circumstances. An object of the present invention is to provide a
resin impregnating apparatus which enables the fiber feeding speed
to be increased to improve the productivity of FM formation,
without increasing the size, complicatedness, or costs of the
apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] To accomplish this object, the present invention provides
(1) a resin impregnating apparatus impregnating fibers with resin
in filament winding formation, the apparatus being characterized by
comprising a block member comprising a tapered passage through
which the fibers pass and which is tapered toward a direction in
which the fibers pass, and a resin supply device supplying the
resin to the fibers in the vicinity of an inlet of the tapered
passage, and in that as the fibers pass through the tapered passage
carrying the resin supplied by the resin supply device, the resin
is pressurized by a wedge effect of the tapered passage so that the
fibers are impregnated with the resin.
[0010] Furthermore, the present invention provides a resin
impregnating apparatus configured as described above, characterized
in that (2) the block member has an opening in at least a part of a
periphery thereof, the opening being in communication with the
tapered passage and extending from the inlet to an outlet of the
tapered passage.
[0011] Furthermore, the present invention provides a resin
impregnating apparatus configured as described in (2),
characterized in that (3) the opening is open upward.
[0012] Furthermore, the present invention provides a resin
impregnating apparatus configured as described in (2) or (3),
characterized in that (4) the block member further comprises a
lockable closing member lockably closing the opening so as to be
able to freely open and close the opening.
[0013] According to the resin impregnating apparatus configured as
described above, as the fibers pass through the tapered passage
carrying the resin supplied by the resin supply device, the resin
is pressurized by the wedge effect of the tapered passage. Thus,
even when the fibers move at a high speed, the fibers can be
sufficiently impregnated with the resin. The present invention thus
allows the productivity of FW formation to be improved by
increasing the fiber moving speed.
[0014] Furthermore, according to the present invention, sufficient
resin impregnation can be achieved simply by providing the passage
through which the fibers pass, with a tapered shape enabling the
wedge effect to be exerted. Therefore, a simple and small-sized
resin impregnating apparatus can be provided without the need for a
high-pressure pump, a tightly closed passage, or the like.
[0015] Other features, elements, processes, steps, characteristics
and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent
from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of
the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a resin
impregnating apparatus according to the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an essential part of the
resin impregnating apparatus in FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a
FW forming machine to which the resin impregnating apparatus in
FIG. 1 is applied.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an essential part of a
resin impregnating apparatus according to a variation.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view and a front view showing an
essential part of a resin impregnating apparatus according to
another variation.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an essential part of a
resin impregnating apparatus according to yet another
variation.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a side view showing a resin impregnating apparatus
according to a conventional example.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a side view showing a resin impregnating apparatus
according to a comparative example.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be
described below with reference to the drawings.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, a resin impregnating apparatus 1
according to the present embodiment is mainly composed of a block
member 2 comprising a passage 21 through which fibers F pass and a
resin supply device 3 that supplies a resin to the vicinity of an
inlet of the passage 21.
[0026] In the block member 2, the passage 21 is formed by an upper
wall 22, a lower wall 23, and a sidewall 24 as shown in FIG. 1. The
upper wall 22 and the lower wall 23 are formed to project gradually
toward the interior of the passage 21 as the passage 21 approaches
an outlet thereof. That is, the passage 21 has a tapered shaped
such that the passage 21 is tapered toward a direction in which the
fibers F are fed. Furthermore, a resin supply hole 25 is formed in
the upper wall 22 so that the resin is supplied to the vicinity of
the inlet of the passage 21 through the resin supply hole 25.
[0027] The block member 2 has an opening 27 located opposite the
sidewall 24 and which is in communication with the passage 21 and
which extends from the inlet to outlet of the passage 21. To be
arranged in the passage 21 for setup or the like, the fibers F can
be easily inserted through the opening 27.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, a temperature regulating unit 4 is
connected to the block member 2 to regulate the temperature of the
block member 2. This makes it possible to regulate the temperature
of the resin supplied by the resin supply device 3 to adjust the
viscosity of the resin. The temperature of the block member 2 is
regulated between about 30.degree. C. and about 130.degree. C.
depending on the resin used.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the resin supply device 3 is composed of
a first vessel 31 in which a base resin is stored, a second vessel
32 in which a curing agent is stored, a first pump 33 and a first
supply pipe 35 that supply the base resin to the block member 2, a
second pump 34 and a second supply pipe 36 that supply the curing
agent to the block member 2, a static mixer 37 that mixes the base
resin and the curing agent fed through the first supply pipe 35 and
the second supply pipe 36, respectively, to form a resin for FW
formation, and a third supply pipe 38 through which the resin is
supplied to the block member 2. The resin supply device 3 supplies
the resin to the fibers F passing through the passage 21, through
the resin supply hole 25 in the block member 2 to which the third
supply pipe 38 is connected.
[0030] Here, the first pump 33 and the second pump 34 have only to
deliver a sufficient amount of resin to allow the fibers F to pass
through the passage 21 carrying the resin, and the fibers F need
not be supplied under a high pressure. That is, the first pump 33
and the second 34 have only to exert a relatively low pressure.
[0031] The resin may be a resin normally used for FW formation. The
preferred resin is, for example, an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, a
polyimide resin, or a vinyl ester resin.
[0032] Furthermore, the fibers F may be fibers normally used for FW
formation. For example, carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers,
or ceramics may be appropriately used.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, the resin impregnating apparatus 1 is
located so that the fibers F unwound from a bobbin B pass through
the passage 21 in the block member 2. The fibers F impregnated with
the resin P from the resin supply device 3 are wound around a
mandrel M while being traversed by a traverse device T.
[0034] In the resin impregnating apparatus 1 configured as
described above according to the present invention, the passage 21
in the block member 2 is tapered as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, as the
fibers F pass through the passage 21 carrying the resin P supplied
by the resin supply device 3, the resin P is pressurized by the
wedge effect of the passage 21. Thus, even when moving at a high
speed, the fibers F passing though the resin impregnating apparatus
1 are sufficiently impregnated with the resin P.
[0035] Furthermore, with the resin impregnating apparatus according
to the present invention, sufficient resin impregnation can be
achieved simply by providing the passage with such a tapered shape
as exerts the wedge effect. This eliminates the need for a high
pressure pump or the like, providing a simple and small-sized resin
impregnating apparatus. Furthermore, the small size of the resin
impregnating apparatus increases the degree of freedom of
arrangement of the resin impregnating apparatus.
[0036] That is, the present invention allows the productivity of FW
formation to be improved without increasing the size,
complicatedness, or costs of the apparatus.
[0037] The embodiment of the present invention has been described
above in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to
this.
[0038] The position of the resin supply hole 25 in the block member
2 may be located in the lower portion of the block member 2 as
shown in FIG. 4A. In this case, the resin impregnating apparatus 1
is preferably configured so that to reliably supply the resin P to
the fibers F, a guide roller G pushes down the fibers F in such a
manner that the fibers F pass immediately close to the resin supply
hole 25.
[0039] Furthermore, the passage 21 in the block member 2 may have
any shape provided that the passage 21 can exert a wedge effect on
the resin P carried on the fibers F. For example, as shown in FIGS.
4B and 4C, only one of the walls 22, 23, the wall 23, may be
inclined, whereas the other wall 22 may be flat. Moreover, as shown
in FIG. 4D, the lower wall 23 may be flat and have a projecting
portion 26 formed in a part thereof and at which the resin supply
hole 25 is located. Compared to the configuration without the
projecting portion 26, the configuration in FIG. 4D can avoid the
possible unstable supply of the resin P caused by the vertical
swing of the fibers F.
[0040] A screen 29 as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B (showing the block
member 2 in FIG. 5A as viewed from the inlet of the passage 21) may
be provided for the opening 27 in the block member 2. In this case,
the opening 27 is open upward, making it possible to prevent the
resin P from leaking laterally from the opening 27. Alternatively,
as shown in FIG. 5C (the block member 2 as viewed from the inlet of
the passage 21), a lockable closing member 28, for example, a leaf
spring, may be provided for the opening 27 to lockably close the
opening 27 so as to be able to freely open and close the opening
27. In this case, the lockable closing member 28 is opened to allow
the fibers F to be inserted into the block member 2. The lockable
closing member 28 is closed to allow the fibers F to be impregnated
with the resin P. This makes it possible to further reliably
prevent the resin from leaking laterally.
[0041] Furthermore, the external shape of the block member 2 need
not be a rectangular parallelepiped but may be a cylinder as shown
in FIG. 6. Moreover, the passage 21 may have a three-dimensional
tapered shape such as a substantial cone as shown in FIG. 6.
[0042] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the resin
supply device 3 separately supplies and then mixes the base resin
and the curing agent immediately before supplying the mixture to
the block member 2. However, the configuration of the resin supply
device 3 may be simplified so that the resin resulting from the
mixture is supplied to the block member 2 via a pump.
[0043] Additionally, in the above-described embodiment, the resin
impregnating apparatus 1 is located in the vicinity of the bobbin
B. However, the present invention is not limited to this position.
For example, where the temperature regulating unit 4 is used to set
the block member 2 at a relatively high temperature to reduce the
viscosity of the resin in order to easily impregnate the fibers F
with the resin, the resin impregnating apparatus 1 may be located
in the vicinity of the mandrel M taking into the account a
relatively short time required to cure the resin P.
[0044] While the present invention has been described with respect
to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that the disclosed invention may be modified in
numerous ways and may assume many embodiments other than those
specifically set out and described above. Accordingly, it is
intended by the appended claims to cover all modifications of the
present invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *